Meddling with history
by Savasta.Black
Summary: Arriving in 1553, the Doctor encounters Lady Jane Grey during her imprisonment. While she demands to be taken to her allies, the Timelord knows that her death is a fixed point in time.
1. Chapter 1

Cold and darkness surrounded her. All her hopes shattered days ago when her cousin took her throne and locked her in the creepy Tower o London. She was scared but not only for her own being but for the safety of her people. Mary I was already starting her horrible executions that were going to create the legend of Bloody Mary.

Jane Grey, she was Lady Jane Grey and she kept telling herself that she has to always remember who she really is: The True Queen of England. However, all that she could do was circle her own prison, searching hopelessly for a way out. Something inside her kept telling her that she'll never be queen again and that Jane I and her 9 days reign were going to become just some short and insignificant chapter in England's History: Henry VIII, Edward VI, Jane I.

Oh, Edward, so young death took him. His sickness made him weak so when he named Jane to be his successor, she should have known that things weren't going to settle without a fight against her vindictive cousin, Mary, Edward's half-sister. She knew it would not be safe, but all she ever wanted was to be a good and honest and right ruler for her people. All this fight for the throne... she remembered her teachers telling her about the War of the Roses, an endless civil war that didn't do any good to the commoners. She promised herself back then that she'll never end up like this, but never thinking that she would become the queen she had no way of predicting what was going to happen. However, fate is something we don't expect or anticipate, or change. It just strikes whenever we are the happiest.

"I'm going to die here!" Jane whispered in the dark, her voice creating a small echo, reflected by the stone walls. It sounded week, just like her.

Suddenly, a strange noise filled the air, louder and louder,while a wooden box appeared out of the blue in her cell. It had some strange light on top that made the walls around her visible while shaping the form of the box. Carefully moving closer towards the strange object she could read clearly- _Public Police Box, _written in glowing letters.

With a silent move, the small doors opened and a gray haired man with stepped out waving something looking like a wand with a green light with his right hand while with his left closed the doors behind him. Jane stepped back as soon as the strange old man exited his box, and using some rusty fork, she put her body in a defensive posture.

"Whoever you are, stay right there, don't move any closer...sir."

"Oh it looks like the Tower of London is never empty. Elisabeth Woodville's sons were her once. Ugh, I hated those kids with their royal arrogance, well not really hated but...Who are you this time?" the stranger asked.

"My name is Jane, first of my name and I am the true queen of England. Who are you?"

"Oh. Royalty arrogance again. Well I'm the Doctor and I'm a Lord of Time, not that you've heard of me anyway..."

Jane didn't lower her fork.

"How did you enter my cell?"

"Of course, even locked up, you still have properties. I have a magic box, called the TARDIS,..."

"Can it go both ways?"

"What? Go where?"

"If you got in using your box, can you also get out?"

The doctor looked back at the TARDIS then at Jane.

"No, I just came here out of sheer pleasure planning to spend the rest of my life in a bad smelling prison. Of course I can. What sort of stupid question is that?" said the Doctor sarcastically.

Jane was determined to make use of that opportunity. Gathering all her strenght trying to sound as much authoritative as she could she told the Doctor:

"I demand that you escort me out off this place and take me to my allies!"

The Doctor replied quickly:

"Oh, you don't demand, my dear! You are not in a demanding position."

Jane realized that was actually true so she tried to sound as polite as she could this time hoping that the stranger won't refuse her again. She thought about the way other people used to address her during ceremonies or even in private during the old days.

"Sir, if it's not too much bother on your behalf, would you be kind enough to escort me out of this place of great suffering?"

"It would be my honor to be of service to your gracefulness." the Doctor replied with only a hint of sarcasm this time.

"Thank you!" said Jane relieved lowering her fork and moving towards the stranger, still a little cautious and ready for anything.

The Doctor opened the doors and stood aside waving his hand in the direction of the box:

"Ladies first."

Jane had the obvious reaction facing the whole _bigger on the inside _concept.

"What sort of sorcery is that?" she asked pretty scared, trying to turn around and leave. The Doctor, however, already entered the TARDIS. He shut the doors behind him and ran towards the center of the room, where around a tall and strange column all sorts of buttons stood on an unusual circular table.

"This is magic only for the unknowing eye." The Doctor smirked.

"Are you saying that this...thing, is actually a machine made by men?"

"Not men, no, and more like a ship than just a machine, but you're on the right track."

Jane however wasn't really interested in details as all she wanted was to get to safety, to get to the people that she loved and survive this war.

"Can you take me to my allies?" she asked weakly.

"Yes, I can, the TARDIS can travel anywhere and anywhen."

Jane hesitated, looking into the Doctor's eyes. There was something wrong.

"_Will _you take me to my allies?"

The Doctor gave her a stern look.

"No."

"But you promised!" Jane started desperately.

"Not really. I only promised I would take you out of your cage. If you prefer to go back, then I'll just take you back."

"So you're doing what? Kidnapping me? Do you want some sort of reward in exchange of my life?"

"What? No. no no no."

"What is it then? Why can't I go home?" Home...that sounded so distant and made Jane think where exactly was her home in this battle.

"You're not supposed to ever get out of that prison. Mary will be queen and you will die beheaded."

Jane's heart sank.


	2. Chapter 2

"No!No! Art thou lying to me? My cousin, Mary will spare my life!"

"So you think..." the Doctor said Coldly.

"Why? Why me? I never asked for this, I never wanted to be queen!My parents, my father-in-law, my husband, they all put the crown on my head even after I refused it!"

"It seems that Mary haven't seen this situation the way you do. She saw you as a threat so he got rid of you."

"Why art thou speaking of my death as of something that had already happened?" Jane had a tear running down her cheek.

She was feeling lost. During her imprisonment she was generally treated well:enough food and water, clean clothes, a bath once a week, and even some of her close friends as company for most of the time. All this made her believe that there was still hope, that she'll be free again to go home (wherever that could be considered), that Mary will pardon her, let her live a decent life away from the court and royal affairs. Only at night she got lonely and started crying in the dark, when nobody could see her sorrow, because she had to look strong. She always had to look strong to fill the role she was playing in the grand masterplan of her father-in-law, the man she hated, the man who manipulated her entire life so that he could become more powerful and more influential.

Becoming the queen has never been her desire, but once she was crowned, being a good queen and earning her people's trust was her new goal. However, it wasn't supposed to last to long.

"Why do I have to die?"

"Because this is your destiny, and nobody can trick fate"

"So why did thou took me at all from my cell and invite me into thy blue box? Isn't that changing a prison with another?"

"No, my dear, because today I feel incredibly generous and I wish to offer you an opportunity... a trip, whenever and wherever you want, except this century and this country, of course."

Jane was surprised and bewildered about his contradictorily statements.

"But I gathered from thy explanation that I'm not to escape my fate."

"Yes, I did say that and you will be executed on the same day as you're supposed to, but..."

The Doctor leaned closer.

"...between now and the next few seconds for everyone here, I can help you runaway for months, anywhere else."

Jane was starting to get a little bit scared, and an even bigger bit confused. Even if she was a smart girl by any standards there was some huge amount of uncanny information and umbelievable choices that had to sink in and which had to be taken into consideration.

"I...do not understand."

"Which part?"

"Well, firstly let me get this straight: I am going to die, but I can delay my death, from my perspective only, by going somewhere..."

"...traveling" The Doctor corrected.

"...Traveling somewhere."

"It's not just somewhere, is anywhere!"

"That means that I am to age differently than those of my time. Won't they notice?"

"That's why I only said months."

"A few months...and then nothing changes..."

"You should not worry about your death. Everyone dies, sooner or later, it doesn't matter. Death is a part of life, it's conclusion, the final destination of an epic journey. You people, you are so afraid of death that you forget to live, you forget to look around you and as you grow up you lose your curiosity and your desire to unfold mysteries. I am giving you the last chance you'll ever get to live not as a means to an end in somebody else's plan but as a human being. You only have to say yes!"

As the Doctor spoke, he kept pulling levers and buttons, and when he finished talking the doors opened. Jane moved carefully towards them and peeked outside. The scenery was simply breathtaking. The Tardis was suspended somewhere above some huge mountains covered in snow. There were two suns above and amazing shades of blue and white below. The whole view was surreal. Jane was even paler when she turned to face the Doctor. She was shaking violently and that single preview from outside the doors terrified her.

"Is this thy greatest cruelty? Showing me how beautiful is life before I die? I have made my peace, mostly, before thou appeared. Why does bother thee anyway how I spend my last few says? I asked god for forgiveness and for my soul to be saved. Is this my penitence before I ascend into his kingdom?"

"Now I'm confused...First you say that you don't want to die, and now you;re at peace with the idea? Humans should have a bloody manual! just make up your mind!"

Jane wiped away her tears and straighted her posture. Suddenly, she wasn't looking as a lost 17 year old teenager, but older, aged before her time because of the burden of her heritage.

"Just tell me this: who exactly art thou?"

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><p>I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) I'm sorry, but I can't update on a regular basis...I write only when inspiration strikes me :)) Btw, If you have any ideas for this story, I'm open to suggestions :D<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

"Who exactly art thou?" the former queen demanded.

"The Doctor."

Jane was clearly not satisfied with his cryptic answer.

"Why art thou here? What do thou want?"

"I'm a time traveler and that's what I do. I travel. Sometimes I save people, planets but that's because there are always aliens involved; not now, however...this is just...history..."

Jane was confused.

"Aliens as in the French?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"But of course you, the English, must always blame the French! I meant aliens as in outer-space

aliens!"

Jane looked at him incredulously. Noticing her expression, the Doctor responded baffled.

"So you have no problem accepting the existence of time travel, but you can't believe in creatures from another worlds?"

"There are many stories that say that both angels and demons can move through time doing God's or the Devil's work. But it is common knowledge that this world is the only world in God's creation."

"Oh, really? Is that what your religion tells you?"

"Yes, sir, and if thou dare to contradict me thou are either a foul or a heretic!"

"I can prove I'm right. Can you?"

"Thou must have faith!"

"Come with me and I will show you aliens and different worlds and the stars up above!" said the Doctor excited, moving frantically around the console, pushing a few buttons."Or" he retorted slowing down and speaking more calmly, "You can just go back to your cell."

The doors opened and Jane could see the gray walls and smell the scent of old carpets and ivy. A whole war was raging inside of her. As she walked towards the exit she thought about whether she should do the smart and obedient thing and return to the Tower or fall for something as obvious as a trap; But then again, if she was going to die, she sure as hell was not going to waste that opportunity to delay the inevitable, especially with the secret she carried. Jane turned around suddenly.

"No! I mean ….yes! Yes , I'll go with you! I'm not ready to die!"

The doctor smiled, like he always knew that she will accept the invitation. Almost everyone, sooner or later, accepts it. And almost always they end up bad... but that was a problem for another day.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry this is so short but I started some other projects and since English is not my native language, it is rather difficult for me to write in great quantities... However, I thank you very much for keeping an interest in this story and I very much appreciate hearing from you whenever you feel like dropping a review :D<br>**


	4. Chapter 4

An ocean of clouds beneath them seemed so distant. The TARDIS got higher and higher until they could see the entire planet, surrounded by stars and being gently lighted by the Sun's rays.

Jane's head hurt.

"Am I dead? Is this heaven….or hell?"

"This is your world."

"How can this be my world? Did we just fell over the edge of the ocean?"

"The Earth is round…" the Doctor said frowning.

"No…It is kommon knowledge that we live on a plane surface and if we venture on the sea too far, we are going to fall over."

The Doctor looked at her incredulously and then muttered to himself.

"And that's why I don't take pre-Galilei people." He continued addressing Jane. "Look… all you have to do is open your eyes and your mind. Just try to accept this because it's the truth."

"This is your truth." Jane replied sharply.

"Listen… If you are gonna do this, travel with me, we must start with the basics: firstly, Earth is a planet and it is round." He looked at her pointedly, like he dared her to contradict him. She swallowed hard and nodded.

"Secondly" the man continued " it revolves around the itself." In order to prove his explanation, he flickered a few buttons and moved the TARDIS, having the doors still opened, farther away from Terra.

The former queen was starting to feel dizziness. Everything seamed to spin around her. She was indeed terrified.

"What's happening with me?" she screamed.

"Relax, it's just space sickness! It strikes even the best of us." said the Doctor, not paying to much attention.

"ALRIGHT! Earth is a planet, it's round and it revolves around the Sun. Noe can we get back on the surface?"

"Fine. Close the doors."

Jane was happy to oblige. She did as the Doctor requested and then approached the console. There were so many shiny lights around the rather spacious room… She was intrigued.

"How is this even possible?"

"What?" the man asked absentmindedly.

"Those sparks of light that surround us. Have you captured sun-rays inti crystal spheres? Or are you using fairy-dust?"

The Doctor stared at her blankly.

"It's called electricity. There's about three hundred years from your time until the human race starts using it. There's something called a light bulb and someone named Thomas Edison involved in all this"

"So how does it work? Is there some sort of mineral used?"

"How about you ask the inventor himself and have him explain it to you."  
>"Well yes… As long as it's possible…. And so on…"<p>

"19th century America…all set. Hold on!"

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><p><strong>OK, so I know that this is rather short, but I'll make up for this the next chapter. Promise :P As usual, I love reading you're opinions and if you like this story and you want me to continue it you can favorite or follow it. Just so you don't forget... You're all awesome ;)<strong>


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